Calibrachoa plant named ‘SAKCAL108’

ABSTRACT

A  Calibrachoa  plant particularly distinguished by having a white flower color and a compact plant growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Calibrachoa spp.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKCAL108’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa spp. and referred to by the variety name ‘SAKCAL108’. ‘SAKCAL108’ originated from a hybridization in Kakegawa, Japan in 2007 between the female Calibrachoa line ‘7B-15A’, an unpatented proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa breeding line having a white flower color and semi-mounding growth habit and the male Calibrachoa line ‘6dw-1A-1B’, an unpatented proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa breeding line with a white flower color and compact growth habit.

In February 2007, the female parent line ‘7B-15A’ and the male parent line ‘6dw-1A-1B’ were crossed and 200 seeds were obtained. The F₁ seed were sown in a greenhouse, cultivated, and plant lines were produced with white flower color with compact and vigorous growth habits.

In May 2007 a single plant was selected within the F₁ plants that had a white flower color and a compact growth habit and designated ‘K2009-104’.

In July 2007, ‘K2009-104’ was vegetatively propagated, cultivated, and evaluated. In October 2007, ‘K2009-104’ was confirmed to be fixed and stable. In February 2008 ‘K2009-104’ was further propagated and cultivated to reconfirm the line's stability. ‘K2009-104’ was subsequently designated ‘SAKCAL108’ and found to have its unique characteristics reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual vegetative propagation via vegetative cuttings in Salinas, Calif.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. White flower color; and     -   2. A compact plant growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a four-month-old plant grown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the summer of 2012. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKCAL108’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on four-month-old plants grown under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the summer of 2012. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition (2001).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.         -   Botanical.—Calibrachoa spp.         -   Common.—Calibrachoa.         -   Designation.—‘SAKCAL108’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa line ‘7B-15A’             (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa line ‘6dw-1A-1B’             (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 6 weeks.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0             to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The             vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.             The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a             1:9 solution of Dip 'N Grow (1 solution: 9 water) root             inducing solution immediately prior to sticking into the             cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays             having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based             growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from             overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient             roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and             grown in 20-cm diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse             located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based             growing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen,             10% phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or             every other day by overhead irrigation. Pots were             top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing             20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical             average air temperature was 24° C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit and form.—Compact and branching.         -   Life cycle.—Tender perennial.         -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—10.0 cm.         -   Spread.—32.0 cm.         -   Flowering requirements.—Will flower so long as day length is             greater than 12 hours and temperature is above 13° C.         -   Temperature tolerances.—Excellent resistance to rain, heat,             and drought. Plants will not tolerate temperatures below 10°             C. -   Stems:     -   -   General description.—Circular in cross-section; dull in             appearance.         -   Stem length.—12.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.15 cm.         -   Internode length (average).—0.6 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 145A (Yellow-Green).         -   Pubescence.—Heavy; pubescence is RHS N155A (White).         -   Anthocyanin color.—Absent. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull.         -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Slightly pubescent;             pubescence is RHS N155A (White).         -   Length.—3.0 cm.         -   Width.—0.7 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A (Green). Lower surface: RHS             137B (Green).         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Variegation.—Absent.         -   Petiole.—Absent; decurrent leaf attachment.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary.         -   Flowering habit.—Indeterminate.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—10 weeks.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—5 days.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.         -   Length.—2.4 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Color.—RHS N155A (White) with RHS 154C (Yellow-Green) veins. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—0.6 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 145B (Yellow-Green).         -   Surface appearance and texture.—Dull with moderate             pubescence; pubescence color is RHS N155A (White). -   Corolla:     -   -   Shape.—Composed of five, fused petals to create a             funnel-shaped flower with five fissures and a shallow, yet             prominent, indentation of the petal tip at the midvein.         -   Flower type.—Single.         -   Flower diameter.—3.3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—0.5 cm.         -   Petals.—Shape: Bilabiate. Apex: Truncate. Base: Fused.             Margin: Entire. Surface texture (both surfaces): Glabrous.             Length: 1.5 cm. Width: 1.5 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS             N155A (White). Lower surface: RHS N155A (White).         -   Corolla tube.—Length: 1.6 cm. Diameter: 0.7 cm. Color: Inner             surface: RHS 12B (Yellow) with RHS 154C (Yellow-Green)             veins. Outer surface: RHS 12C (Yellow) with RHS 154C             (Yellow-Green) veins. -   Calyx:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 sepals, free.         -   Sepals.—Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Color (both surfaces): RHS 143A (Green). Length: 0.9 cm.             Diameter: 0.2 cm. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen number.—5.         -   Stamen color.—RHS 154D (Yellow-Green).         -   Stamen form.—Free.         -   Pollen color.—RHS 10A (Yellow).         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Ovary.—Superior.         -   Placental arrangement.—Central.         -   Pistil number.—1 (per inflorescence).         -   Pistil length.—0.8 cm.         -   Pistil color.—RHS 145B (Yellow-Green).         -   Stigma color.—RHS 11A (Yellow).         -   Style length.—0.9 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 154D (Yellow-Green).         -   Seed production.—Absent. -   Disease and insect resistance: Plants are susceptible to Botrytis,     powdery mildew, various stem and root rots, and certain viruses,     such as Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Impatiens Necrotic Spotted Virus.     Plants can be infested with aphids, leafminers, whitefly, and     various Lepidoptera.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKCAL108’ is a new and unique variety of Calibrachoa owing to its white flower color and compact plant growth habit. ‘SAKCAL108’ is distinguished from its parents mainly by flower color as shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male Parent Characteristic ‘SAKCAL108’ ‘7B-15A’ ‘6dw-1A-1B’ Flower color White White White Plant growth habit Compact Semi-mounding Compact Ease of blooming Easier to bloom Information is Does not bloom as under short day under short day not available well under short day conditions conditions than conditions as male parent ‘SAKCAL108’

‘SAKCAL108’ is a new and unique variety of Calibrachoa owing to its white flower color and a compact plant growth habit. ‘SAKCAL108’ is most similar to the commercial Calibrachoa variety ‘USCALI6’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,955), commercially known as SUPERBELLS® ‘White’; however there are differences as described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKCAL108’ ‘USCALI6’ Flower petal color, RHS N155A (White) RHS 155D (White) upper surface Flower petal color, RHS N155A (White) RHS 155D (White) lower surface Flower size (diameter) 3.3 cm. 2.8 cm. Plant growth habit Compact Semi-upright 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant as shown and described herein. 